The government has put the ABC on notice that it expects the broadcaster to declare how much taxpayer's money was used to pay its thus-far confidential settlement with sacked managing director Michelle Guthrie.

In a position backed by prominent former staff and other political parties, Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said on Sunday he expected transparency on the payout given the involvement of taxpayer funds.

The details of Michelle Guthrie's settlement with the ABC have been kept confidential.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Ms Guthrie, an ex-Google executive, filed an adverse action claim in the Federal Court in December after she was was fired from her $900,000-a-year role halfway through her five-year contract.

She was paid an $800,000 termination fee when she was fired and through the court action sought remedies including compensation.

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Late on Friday, the ABC and Ms Guthrie announced in a joint three-sentence statement that they had reached a "resolution" over this litigation after being ordered into mediation by the court.

The confidential nature of the agreement attracted widespread criticism over the weekend.

A spokesman for Mr Fifield said that "neither the government nor the community are aware of the terms of the settlement" due to the legal agreement and expected the matter would be canvassed at senate estimates on Wednesday.

“The government’s preference would be for the parties concerned to be transparent in relation to any part of the settlement that may involve the payment and receipt of taxpayer funds," he said.

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The entire board of directors and acting managing director David Anderson are also due in front of the senate inquiry into political interference at the public broadcaster on Tuesday morning in Sydney.

One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson said any payment should come out of the ABC’s current $1 billion-a-year budget.

"It’s not up to the taxpayer to further fund her sacking ... it should be exposed," Ms Hanson said.

"I don’t believe it should remain confidential ... When it’s coming out of taxpayers’ dollars they deserve to know exactly how much is being paid."

Helen Grasswill, the co-director of advocacy group ABC Alumni that includes hundreds of former staff members and will also front the inquiry this week, urged the public broadcaster to provide more transparency around the settlement.

At least the range of the settlement, if not the exact figure, should most definitely be revealed in the public interest.

ABC Alumni's Helen Grasswill

"It's our view that at least the range of the settlement, if not the exact figure, should most definitely be revealed in the public interest," Ms Grasswill said.

ABC and Friends president Margaret Reynolds said that the lobby group was more focused on the “future” of the public broadcaster and ensuring adequate funding and independence than the Ms Guthrie lawsuit.

“In a perfect world you would like everything to be transparent and out in the open,” Ms Reynolds said.

“However given this has been in and out of legal processes there is a reason why this is kept [confidential].”

A spokesman for Shadow Communications Minister Michelle Rowland declined to comment saying it was a "matter for the ABC".

The ABC declined to comment.

Institute of Public Affairs communications director Evan Mulholland said the process should be open to taxpayers due to its significance.

"They weren't just fighting about personality clashes, it was that Justin Milne was disputing with Michelle Guthrie the future of their online strategy going forward and that is something that the taxpayers who fund the ABC should be made aware of," he said.

The Australia Institute executive director Ben Oquist said being "as transparent as possible in these matters" would help maintain a high level of trust in the ABC.

"Given the recent controversies, it would be in everyone’s best interest if as much as possible about what went on and the settlement process was made public," Mr Oquist said.

A spokesman for the journalists' union, the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, said it favoured "transparency".

Sources close to the ABC have speculated a pay out could be "sizeable" but said a drawn-out court battle could have been expensive in legal fees and damaging for the reputation of the broadcaster.

The ABC's latest annual report shows the public broadcaster has directors and officers' liability insurance through the Australian government's self-managed insurance fund Comcover though it's unclear whether this would have helped fund any payment.

A future annual report would reflect any payments made by the ABC to Ms Guthrie, however the sum could likely be bundled with other legal expenses or similar costs.